1. Field of The Invention
The invention relates to a connector with a fitting operation lever used for connecting wire harnesses for automobiles or the like. More particularly, the invention is directed to a structure for setting the initial position of the fitting operation lever.
2. Related Art
In FIG. 14, reference character a denotes a female connector, and b, a male connector. A fitting operation lever c is pivotably arranged through pivots d on the female connector a. Drive cam grooves f corresponding to driven pins e of the male connector b are formed in the fitting operation lever c, and guide notches h for the driven pins e are formed in a housing body g of the female connector a.
At the initial stage of fitting the male connector b into the female connector a, the respective driven pins e must be engaged not only with the corresponding guide notches h but also with the corresponding drive cam grooves f. To implement this, initial position setting coil springs i are disposed on the fitting operation lever c so that entrances f.sub.1 of the respective drive cam grooves f coincide with the corresponding guide notches h (see FIGS. 15, 16, 17).
Each initial position setting coil spring i is designed so that not only one end thereof i.sub.2 is engaged with a retaining portion k while causing a coil portion i.sub.1 to be engaged with a mounting shaft j, but also the other end i.sub.3 thereof is engaged with the pivot d (FIG. 15), thus allowing the fitting operation lever c to be attached to the female connector a under this condition.
In the fitting operation lever are bearing holes l and guide notches m extending to the bearing holes l. The other end i.sub.3 is abutted against a corresponding spring receiving portion n of the lever c when the bearing hole l is engaged with the pivot d through the guide notch m (FIG. 16). The other end i.sub.3 moves away from the pivot d and gets engaged with the spring receiving portion n under the completely attached condition (FIG. 17).
In the aforementioned structure, spring members, each being an independent part, are necessary. The operation of attaching the spring members is time-consuming, laborious, and hence quite cumbersome and costly.